For old age is not honored for length of time, nor measured by number of years: The idea that the writer expresses in verses 8-9 is that a righteous person who dies before reaching old age really deserves the honor given to old age. This is on the grounds that we honor age, not because a person has lived a long time, but because we assume that a person grows wiser with age. The idea is expressed in an unexpected way, however; the author says that the righteous person who dies young has really reached old age, because old age is determined not by how long people live but only by their wisdom. Contemporary English Version captures the meaning with “True respect isn’t gained merely by growing old.” We may also place verse 8 in parentheses: “(We show respect for old people, but not just because they have lived so long).” See the model below. The connector For may be omitted as in Good News Translation and the model below.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Wisdom of Solomon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2004. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.